Readers' Letters | Options for older adoption

Last week, The Courier-Journal shared a story about the noble efforts of a former foster youth who wants to make sure other kids in his situation have more help than he had when he aged out of foster care. While we are happy the writer is making a difference for youth in foster care, more must be done by state officials to help children in foster care find a permanent family.

At the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption we are doing just that. Our child-focused recruitment model, Wendy's Wonderful Kids, works for all children waiting to be adopted from foster care. And the children in Kentucky and across the nation who have been labeled "unadoptable" - older youth, sibling groups, and children with special needs - are three times more likely to be adopted.

Of the children we have served in Kentucky, 61 percent have been matched with a family, and 27 percent have been adopted. Notably, these are youth 12 and older, many having been in the system for years and on the track for aging out. With more referrals to the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program, our recruiters can help many more children in Kentucky find loving, permanent families.

Ohio so enthusiastically believes in this foster care adoption model that it recently partnered with us to ensure that the children most at risk of aging out of the state's foster care system are served through our program. The goal shouldn't be to simply prepare youth in foster care for emancipation. We must work harder to find every child a permanent adoptive family to call his or her own. As one former foster youth told us, "you are never too old to want a family." And no one should settle for anything less. We won't.

RITA SORONEN

President and CEO -

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption -

Columbus, Ohio 43235 -

Improve education

I guess we will continue busing the children of Jefferson County until we finally kill some of them. Even though most of the accidents are not the fault of the bus driver, just being on the road so long is an accident waiting to happen. There is no reason to continue this action when most of the neighborhoods have become more diverse during the "busing era." Please use the money spent on busing to improve the education of the children.

JEAN WYMAN

Louisville 40258 -

Truth is truth

No matter what statement the NFL officials made regarding the outcome of last Monday night's Packers vs. Seahawks game, the truth does not yield. Offensive pass interference occurred. Not acknowledging it does not change the fact that it took place. The league can record the game as a Packers loss but the truth remains the truth. A governing body can make a ruling but that declaration does not change the truth. Everyone knows the Packers won the game.

The same constant truth principle applies to other aspects of life. The U.S. Supreme Court can rule that abortion is an acceptable act, but the truth does not yield. Abortion is killing. Not acknowledging the death does not change the fact that a life ended. Man can declare anything he wants but that does not change the truth.

When my youngest son was 8 years old he asked, "What's abortion?" After being told he simply replied, "Well, that's not right." Yes, everyone does know the truth.

CHRIS CURL

Louisville 40207 -

There's always Arkansas

I find little to be happy about this football season as the Wildcats continue to struggle on the gridiron, yet it always makes me smile a little when I see how Arkansas with John L. Smith is doing.

MIKE LAYMAN

Louisville 40272 -

Louisville, Kentucky • Southern Indiana

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Readers' Letters | Options for older adoption

Last week, The Courier-Journal shared a story about the noble efforts of a former foster youth who wants to make sure other kids in his situation have more help than he had when he aged out of foster